Auxiliary compartment for refrigerator doors



June 30, 1936.

A, s, sHAr-ER AUXILIARY COMPARTMENT FOR REFRGERATOR DOORS Filed Oct. ll, 1934 Patented June 30, 1936 PATENT orgies f AUXILIARY COMPARTMENT FOR ,v

REFRIGERATOR DOORS Abraham S.4 Shafer, Philadelphia, Pa. Application October l, 1934, Serial No. 746,461

3 Claims.

Another purpose of the invention isto provide a compartment of this kind having its rear interior wall provided with a panel opening and a pair of sliding panels therein, so thatvwhen the front panel is opened, the two panels for the rear wall of the compartment may automatically close, thereby preventing escape of the cold air from the interior of the refrigerator, likewise preventing warm air entering the interior of the refrigerator, and when the front panel is closed, the rear panels are opened, thereby allowing the cold air to enter the compartment to retain the latter at the same temperature as the interior of the refrigerator.

Another purpose is to provide a device of this kind, wherein it is possible to provide the door with as many compartments of this character as may be mounted on the door without inconveniencing the rest of the refrigerator as such, and

thereby reducing the opening of the door to a minimum.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a refrigerator main door having a plurality of auxiliary compartments provided at the front and rear thereof, with sliding air tight panels or leaves, which may be constructed ofv any suitable material preferably metal porcelain finished, or heavy shatter proof glass. or polished wire glass set in a.v chromium frame, and in this latter instance visibility into the compartment is possible, in order to show the contents of the compartments. y

A still further purpose of this invention is to provide a refrigerator, the main door of which may be kept closed substantially most of the time,l

sincelthe auxiliary compartment or compartments will eliminate the necessity of frequently opening the main door. The only time the main .door is required to be open is when placing in the main compartment of the refrigerator or removing therefrom large articles of food and the like.

By keeping the main door closed most of the time the loss of cold air may be reduced at least ilfty percent, thereby greatlyconserving on the various refrigerator elements, as well as reducing the operating cost in proportion.

It is to be understood that the particulars here-` in given are in no way limitative. and that while (Cl. 2li-35) still keeping within the scope of the invention, any desired modification of details and proportions may be made in the construction of the appliance according to circumstances.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a conventional type of refrigerator showing the main door provided with a plurality of sliding airtight panels or leaves for closing panel openings, through Vwhich access may be had to the several compartments. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through Figure 1 on line 2-2 thereof, showing one of the outside paneled openings closed and rear sliding airtight panels open. l

Figure is a cross sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through a portionv of the door and through one of the auxiliary compartments showing two panels, one in front of the door and one closing the back part of the compartment with a modified construction of connections between the panels.

Referring to the drawing I identifies a cabinet Aof a refrigerator, which may be of the ordinary type, wherein manufactured ice may be used for chilling the interior of the main chamber of the cabinet, or may be of the electrical type. In either case it is unnecessary to show the chilling coil unit or the ordinary ice chamber.V The cabi?- net is provided with a main door 2, the opening of which will permit access into the chamber 3 where foodstuffs are stored. Carried by the door 2 is a plurality of auxiliary compartments 4', which are constructed by providing a plurality of auxiliary compartment walls 5. The door 2 has a plurality of panel receiving openings 6 providedv with guides lin which the panels 8 are guided. The guides l connect with passageways 9 in thewall of, the door to permit the panels 8 to enter therein when raised. The wall 5 of each compartment 4l has a panel receiving opening Ill provided with guides Il in their vertical edges, for the receptionof the upper and flower panels I2 and I3. The lower edge of the panel I2 has a tongue I4 to receive apacking I5 in the upper edge of the panel I3, so as to make an airtight tting joint between the two panels. The wall 5 has a passageway i6 into which the panel I2 moves when raised, while the lower portion of the wall 5 has a passageway I'I into which the lower panel I 3'enters when lowered. The bottom of the compartment 4 has a passage I8 21 to the panel I2. Obviously when the panel 8 is raised by engaging the ngers in the recess 28 the cord 23 is moved in the direction of the arrow a, which will lower the panel I2 to a closed position in the panel receiving opening I0. A catgut cord 29 is connected at 38 to the cord 23 and passes over a pulley 3i and is connected at 32 to the lower portion of the panel I3 so that when the cord 23 is operated in the direction of the arrow a the cord 23 likewise operates and closes the panel I3.

When the panel 3, after it is raised, is again lowered the cord I9 is pulled in the direction of the arrow b', which will raise panel I2. A catl i gut cord 33 is also connected at 21 to the panel I2, passes downwardly through the guide I I over apulley 34 in the lower part of the wall 5 and in turn is also connected at 32 to the panel I3. When the panel .I2 is 'raised the cord 33 is operated in the direction of the arrow c, therefore pulled downwardly on the panel I3, opening same simultaneously with the opening' of the panel I2.

Obviously when the panel 8 is in an open position the panels I2 and I3 are in closed vposition and when the panel 8 is in a closed position the panels I2 and I3 are in-open positions.'v In this way warm air when the panel 8 is open is prevented from entering the chamber 3 at the same time preventing the escape of cold air from the chamber 3. Also obviously when the panel 8 is closed and the panels I2 and I3 are open the cold air in -r'the chamber 3 can enter the compartment 4.

Referring to Figure 4 it is obvious that there is disclosed a modification of the auxiliary vcompartment, wherein the compartment is of the same shape as that in the other ngugas, thewalls of the compartment having the same guides as in Figure 2. Instead of two panels at the rear of the compartment only one panel I2a'is shown, one-end of which is connected by a cord 35 to the upper edge of the Afront panel 8a, the cord 35 passing over a pulley 36, the other end of the panel I2a has attached thereto a cord 23a, which in turn passes over pulleys 3'! and 38 and connected at 39 to the lower edge of the panel 8a. These panels operate in guides I I a and I Ib, while a cord 23a passes through a. passage 39a. It is obvious that by moving the panel 8a, engaging i the ngers in the recess 8b the panel I2awill be lowered, shutting oif the escape of cold air from the interior of the cold air chamber .of the refrigerator, and allowing the contents of the compartment to beremoved. On reverse movement of the panel 8a the compartment will be closed against access thereto from the exterior, and the panel I2a will open. allowing cold air from the cold air compartment to enter the auxiliary compartment in the door.

It is obvious that there may be any number or.-

auxiliary compartments that lcan be conveniently formed in the main door of the refrigerator. Also it is obvious that the walls of these compartments may be constructed of any suitable metal either enameled, or they may beconstructed of porcelain. Also the main door is hollow and contains packing as an insulation against radiation or escape of the cold air in the cold air chamber of the refrigerator or the penetration of exterior air in a room. Furthermore the panels for closing the openings in the main door may or may not have packing as identified at 8b, I2b and ISa, also as an insulation against radiation or escape of the cold air in the refrigerator as well as the penetration of exterior air.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. In a refrigerator door, a plurality of com:

partments extending therethrough and having d said compartment having openings therein..

guides in the sides of the openings, upper and lower panels slidably mounted inthe guides of, the opening of the rear wall for movement toward and away from each other, a single panel in the guides of the opening of the front wall, and means connecting the rear panels with the front panel for operating the panels in unison and alternately to open and closed positions.

3. In a refrigerator door, a compartment extending therethrough and having openings in their front and rear walls, guides in the sides of said openings, upper and lower panels mounted for cooperation in the guides of the opening of the rear wall, a. single panel in the guides of the opening of the front wall," and means for operating the single panel with respect to the upper and lower panels for alternately moving the panels to open and closed positions, said operating means comprising exible means connecting the upper portion of the upper panel and the upper portion of the single panel, exible means connecting the lower portion of the single panel and the lower portion of the upper panel, flexible means connected to the second flexible means and to the lower portion of the lower panel, an additional flexible means connecting the lower portion of the lower panel and the lower portion of the upper'panel, and guide pulleys for the exible means.

ABRAHAM S. SHAFER. 

